UPDATED: B.C. power relatively cheap

British Columbians enjoy some of the cheapest power in North America, according to a new report by Hydro Quebec, but politicians are arguing over who takes the credit and whether the cheap rates will continue.

The report says British Columbians enjoy the third cheapest residential power in North America, paying about $40 less per month.

NDP critic Adrian Dix credits an NDP Hydro rate freeze in the 1990s, noting the Liberals are in the midst of a 28-per-cent rate hike.

Comments

BC Energy Minister Bill Bennett obviously got to Hydro Quebec. He likes to toss that comment around. It’s called a BS Liberal massage. Reality? Were it not for fiscal mismanagement, cronyism run of river projects, a sweet heart smart meter deal to Corrix for smart meter installs, the outrageous sums we’re paying for smart meters (anywhere else they are less than half the price we’ve paid), the hydro cost over runs in northern BC to the tune of hundreds of millions to say nothing about the life time perks of BC Hydro CEO’s, to say nothing of the taxpayer contributing five dollars towards every BC Hydro employees pension while the employee contributes one dollar, to say nothing of the staggering pay role……………………………………………………………………….There’s more but one can only digest so much information at one time.

The whole workes of these crown corperation ces are nothing but over priced FLAKES.
Tthy couldn’t manage a cat house . Yet due to previous aquantincies in the right places ,
And a vote by the chosen few , they never the less are running the province into the red .
And will continue to do so untill they are throughen out of the job , and the system changed .

The key point is missed entirely, and that is if it was not for the vision of WAC Bennett who built the current hydro dams, BC would not be enjoying relative cheaper electrical rates. It is unfortunate that subsequent government regimes did not follow that vision, especially the BC NDP, who did nothing what so ever. The current government is promoting the construction of Site C which would again give BC greater clean electrical power.

Unfortunately the ‘do nothing’ crowd including the BC NDP appear to oppose this important project. We all need to access energy and hydro power is a means to do that and one that is clean exceeding all the other so call alternate energies.

Agreed Stephen. As well, not only is BC Hydro among the cheapest power in the world, it is also the cleanest – with upwards of 90% of BC power coming from clean, NO-CARBON hydro (Canada on the whole with more than 60% from hydro). This is what I call ‘made-in-BC solar’ thanks to our mountainous geography and ample precipitation. There is a misguided notion that solar has to come from a glass panel on a rooftop or an array of glass and steel behind razor wire fencing. As well, the added advantage of our hydro/solar power is also that we can swim, fish and waterski on our ‘batteries’ (i.e. lakes). BC and hydro already IS the future of clean energy!

Site C is not needed. We are currently selling excess hydro to the states well below our cost. What we will require one day that is much more important is food. Yes, food is necessary for life. At the current rate of drought in California and their dangerously low water table we had better begin to to have a plan B.

The proposed Site C dam threatens to flood 107 kilometres of river and 52,000 km2 of total area, including rich farmland, wildlife habitats, and First Nations territories.

Treaty 8 First Nations in B.C. are vehemently opposed to BC Hydro’s plans. Flooding would violate their treaty rights to hunting, fishing and collecting medicinal plants. What’s more, the federal Joint Review Panel found there is justification for the Site C project.

Site C is not needed. We are currently selling excess hydro to the states well below our cost. What we will require one day that is much more important is food. Yes, food is necessary for life. At the current rate of drought in California and their dangerously low water table we had better begin to to have a plan B.

The proposed Site C dam threatens to flood 107 kilometres of river and 52,000 km2 of total area, including rich farmland, wildlife habitats, and First Nations territories.

Treaty 8 First Nations in B.C. are vehemently opposed to BC Hydro’s plans. Flooding would violate their treaty rights to hunting, fishing and collecting medicinal plants. What’s more, the federal Joint Review Panel found there is no justification for the Site C project.